Authors
- Rong Shen 1
- Xiangfeng Xu * 2
- Sitong Liu 1
- Zhaozheng Wang 1
- Kai Jiang 1
- Juan Gu 1
- Li Fang 2
Abstract
This study aimed to elucidate the effect and mechanism of Icariin (ICA) on brown adipose tissue (BAT) and to explore its influence on AS pathological environment in ApoE-/- mice.
The primary brown adipocytes were isolated from C57BL/6J mice and treated with ICA in different dosages. ApoE-/- mice were divided to 3 groups: the ordinary diet group, the high fat diet group, and the high fat diet with ICA treatment group. Cell morphology was observed by Oil Red O staining. Levels of UCP-1, BMP7, PRDM16, and PGC-1α were detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Mice body weight, BAT weight, and ratio of BAT/WAT weight were calculated. The levels of adipocytokines in serum were estimated. BMP7 expression in BAT and resistin expression in aorta were tested by immunohistochemical staining.
ICA promoted adipogenic differentiation and low dosage of ICA increased the expression of UCP-1, PRDM16, BMP7, and PGC-1α in brown adipocyte. ICA administration decreased body weight and serum triglyceride (TG) of AS mice, while serum adiponectin was increased. Meanwhile, ICA raised BAT weight, BAT/WAT ratio and increased BMP7 expression in BAT. ICA treatment group also showed higher UCP-1 level in both BAT and WAT, higher PRDM16 level in BAT and lower resistin level in WAT. In aortic wall of AS mice, resistin was decreased by ICA.
ICA may increase brown adipocyte differentiation by affecting BMP7 regulatory pathway. Moreover, it may motivate browning of WAT and improve the BAT/WAT balance to alleviate AS pathological environment of ApoE-/- mice.
